How to Break The Cycle of Irrational Fear

How to Break The Cycle of Irrational Fear

Last update: 06 June, 2016

Who hasn’t ever been afraid? Fear is a perfectly normal response that alerts us about danger and activates our survival instincts.

But when this feeling is directed toward something unfounded, then it becomes irrational and can cause us to become immobilized. We call this “irrational fear.”

“Do not give up, please do not give in, even though the cold burns, even though fear bites, even though the sun goes down and winds are quieted.”

-Mario Benedetti-

If you suffer this kind of irrational fear you must find a solution; don’t waste any more of your life paralyzed by fear.

We cannot be guided by fear, we cannot allow it to be much more powerful than us. So today we will discover how to eliminate irrational fear in our lives.

Do not be afraid of fear

To overcome fear, the first thing to do is recognize that we are afraid.  Only we can face our own fear. No one can overcome it for us. Doing it will also make us become stronger and more resistant to subsequent fears.

Every challenge, every new thing you do will make you afraid, but is this bad? Absolutely not. Fear keeps us awake, it urges us to challenge ourselves and to take much bigger steps.

How do we stop fearing our fear? With these tips:

  • Trust yourself and your possibilities to face your fears.
  • Replace fear with positive emotions.
  • Act before fear, do not let it paralyze you.
  • See fear as an opportunity to learn how to overcome something new.

These are just a few suggestions. You must choose which works best for you and implement it to get out of the circle of irrational fear.

We know very well that something positive comes out of everything. Irrational fear is not exactly bad, but it can be an opportunity to change your reaction to them.

If you’re afraid of something, express it! This will help you recognize it, see it with new eyes and overcome it better. Don’t think it’s possible? Try it…

“Know yourself, accept yourself, get ahead of yourself.”

-Saint Thomas Aquinas-

Trusting your possibilities and thinking positive thoughts will help you deal with the irrational fears that stop you from achieving wellness in your life.

Look fear in the eyes

Once we recognize our fear and are willing to trust our ability to overcome it, that is the time we need to look it in the eyes. Closing your eyes to fear will not make it go away. It is a reaction that we all have, but it’s pointless.

woman afraid sitting on the ground

Think about when you were small how many times you were afraid of seeing something in your room. Why do you close your eyes and hide under the covers? Does not seeing something mean it doesn’t exist?

This concept makes us ignore the situation and expect it to solve itself.

“We cease to fear what we begin to know.”

-Madame Curie-

Unfortunately, this does not happen. Looking fear in the eyes is what will make us to overcome it because to overcome something we must first know what it is.

Also, ask yourself this question: Do you want to live your life in fear or eliminate it completely right now?

If you decide to remove it entirely or at least know how to cope with it when it appears, the first thing to do is never run away from it.

If you flee from your fear, it will follow you for the rest of your life. Like many other things in life, there comes a time when we are tired of running and, get so fed up with running, that we decide to turn and face what we were trying to escape.

Face your fears and when you do you’ll find out that they were not as powerful as you imagined. If you feel overwhelmed by your fears, listen to them! Knowing them and reflecting on them will help you solve and address them.

Look fear in the eyes and don’t let it make you afraid. You are stronger than your fear. Trust yourself and believe in your possibilities. Do not be defeated!


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.